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- GEDCOM: 75434- Notes for NATHAN KINGSLEY: [per Stephen Hopkins.GED in this reference] The following document on the Heckewelder House and Nathan Kingsley was provided to me by a distant relative and the source is unknown at this time. "'The Heckewelder House' stood for many years in East Wyalusing, not far from where the Wyalusing Planing Mill is presently located. While it slowly crumbled into ruins, it was reputed to be the oldest house in Bradford County, having been constructed in the year 1768. There is no certainty as to who built the large log house, but it is known that one of the earliest occupants of the home was the celebrated Quaker missionary, Heckewelder. "The house was later occupied by Nathan Kingsley, another early settler in Wyalusing, and it is by his name the house has been referred to for many years. Kingsley was the oldest son of Salmon Kingsley and was born in Scotland, Windham County, Connecticut, January 23, 1743. He married Roccelana Wareham, of the neighbor village of Windsor, and they settled in Wyalusing when both were about 30 years of age. According to one historical source, Kingsley was a member of one of Connecticut's prominent families of that time and a man of wealth and influence in that early day. His nephew, Professor James L. Kingsley, served on the faculty of Yale University. "Nathan and Roccelana Kingsley came to Wyoming, Pennsylvania in 1772 or 1773. On January 8, 1776, he purchased from Elijah Brown, for 60 pounds, one half interest in a saw mill 'standing on a creek called by ye name of Moughshopping, together with one half ye stream, tools, and timber belonging thereto.' "The precise date of Mr. Kingsley's settlement at Wyalusing cannot be ascertained. He was here previous to the survey of Wyalusing township, which was then called Springfield, in October, 1777, and had set off to him lots numbered 34 and 35. "According to one historical source, 'Kingsley, by means of great watchfulness and prudence, lived for some time unmolested by the Indians, but at length, in June 1778, he was captured by Indians and taken to Niagara. While in captivity he secured the friendship and confidence of the Indians by doctoring their horses. He was, in consequence, allowed considerable liberty, and permitted to go into the woods to gather herbs and roots for his horse remedies. Seizing a favorable opportunity, he made a daring escape and returned many weeks later safely to Wyoming. "During his captivity, Kingsley's wife and two sons fled to Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and took refuge in that settlement at the home of Jonathan Slocum, a member of the Friends Society. On November 2, 1778 the two boys were engaged in grinding a knife outside the Slocum cabin. A rifle shot and a cry of distress brought Mrs. Slocum to her cabin door where she saw young Nathan, a boy of fifteen years, being scalped by the knife he had been sharpening. One of the attacking Indians then entered the Slocum house and grabbed hold of a little boy named Ebenezer Slocum. The mother stepped up to the savage, and reaching for the child said, 'He can do you no good; see, he is lame.' With a grim smile giving up the boy, the Indian then grabbed Frances, her daughter, age about 5 years, and seizing the younger Kingsley lad by the hand, hurried away to the nearby forests. Two other Indians with him took a black girl, age 17 years, all of this dreadful episode occurring within one hundred rods of the Wilkes-Barre Fort. An alarm was sounded, but no trace of them was found. The story of the recapture of Miss Slocum 60 years later by her brother is a sad conclusion to one of the most thrilling episodes in the local history of the American Revolution. "There is indication that later, in July of 1780, Kingsley served on a court martial and held the rank of Lieutenant in the army. "After the troubles in and around Wyoming ceased, Mr. Kingsley, his wife and infant son, Wareham, returned to Wyalusing, having survived the perils of the war and now looked forward to a few years of quiet and comfort. "Kingsley ... with some prominent area residents, was commissioned to assist with the organization of Luzerne County, of which Bradford County was then a part but known as such. He was named a judge in the first court constituted in the newly-formed county. However, in 1790 [sic], he resigned from the position because of the long distance necessary to travel to Wilkes-Barre where the court sessions were held. In his letter of resignation, Kingsley wrote: 'By reason of high water and living sixty miles from the county town, joined to the smallness of the fees I cannot continue to serve in such capacity.' "There is not much known of Kingsley in his later years except that which appears in a history published in 1870 by the Wyalusing Presbyterian Church: "'Mr. Kingsley, unfortunately, as an old man, acquired intemperate habits and became very poor, so that he became a town charge.' "Nathan Kingsley had enough travail in his life to drive a man to drink. Captured by Indians and having his two older sons taken by the war in a most horrible manner. Even on returning he discovered his neighbors had taken advantage of him during his absence. According to CRAFT'S BRADFORD COUNTY HISTORY, during Kingsley's captivity apparently someone believed or at least hoped he would never return and so, the township committee 'changed the corners' of his property. Whatever happened to the wealth Kingsley was reputed to have brought to Wyalusing from his home in Connecticut has never been determined." "A brief incident in Kingsley's final day on earth is known. Actually, Kingsley was only fifty-seven years of age when he was attempting to make his way home from a Wyalusing tavern and was suddenly over-taken by a violent summer storm. He sought refuge beneath a large pine tree and while standing there, his face turned upward and probably wondering what God had chosen next for him, a giant limb from above broke loose from the tree and fell to the ground, crushing the pioneer beneath its heavy weight. He is buried someplace in Wyalusing Cemetery where his grave remains unmarked and unknown. [See NOTE below.] "Whatever became of Kingsley's wife and remaining son is not known. The Kingsley home in subsequent years continued to be occupied by early Wyalusing settlers and their families, but as more and more pioneers came to the community and the town began to grow on the west side of Wyalusing Creek, the old house became abandoned. It's huge hand-hewn squared logs became deteriorated and the shingled roof sagged, eventually falling to the ground. There were still signs of the old house, a few logs and the foundation, remaining as late as the early 1930's. As the cellar became a scourge of brambles and a haven for copperhead snakes, the old foundation was eventually filled in and all evidence of the historical structure, save a few large stones, passed into oblivion. "The house was located on precisely the same area as the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and the spur to Route 187 is now situated. A few of the larger foundation stones are still in evidence beneath the outer edge of highway excavation at that point. "It is to the everlasting shame of the residents of Wyalusing and vicinity that not enough pride in their historical heritage prevailed to consume them with the desire to save the old relic which had played such an important part in the history of their community. Now the landmark is like the people who dwelled within their walls--gone forever." NOTE: Paragraph 13 contains information that is contradictory to other sources of information collected regarding the death of Nathan Kingsley. According to Clement F. Heverly in his PIONEER AND PATRIOT FAMILIES OF BRADFORD COUNTY 1770-1880, Nathan Kingsley "is described 'as a large, tall man of more than ordinary intelligence, deeply interested in the prosperity of the community and the development of the county. He built a distillery, fell a victim of the habit of the times and in his old age lost his property.' He died in Ohio in 1822, aged 80 years. Mrs. Kingsley died in Wyalusing, and is buried in the old cemetery there. Wareham, the son, married Urania Turrell. They had children; Lydia (Mrs. Jabez Brown), Roswell, Nathan, Chester B., Abigail, and Roccelana. Nathan removed to Connecticut; Chester went south; Roswell died in Standing Stone. The father died at the home of his son, Nathan." >From History of Wyoming County Penn. 1845 by Charles Miner, and from Vital records of Windham Co. CT... NATHAN KINGSLEY, born Windham Co. CT 23 Jan 1744, baptised 18 Mar 1744 at Scotland First Congregational Church by Rev. Ebenezer Devotion, a son of Salmon Kingsley and Lydia Burgess. NATHAN removed to Wyoming Co PA with his wife Roxanna (Roccelana) Wareham. During the Revolutionary War he was captured by Indians near Westmoreland PA on July 1778. His wife with child in arms, her eldest son Nathan age 15 and a younger son went to the farm of Jonathan Slocum, a Quaker, as he offered Nathan's family shelter until Mrs. Kingsley could decide the future. In an account given by Mr. Jonathan Slocum of which his wife was witness to an event which took place on his farm located near Wilkesbarre PA on 2 Nov 1778, concerning the children of Nathan Kingsley: The son NATHAN KINGSLEY, age 15 and his younger brother along with a son of Mr. Slocum's heard a shot, going to the door of the cabin, she saw Indians scalping the older Kingsley boy and taking the younger brother captive, along with her young son, he being her lame son, so they exchanged the lame boy for her daughter named Frances age seven. The daughter Frances Slocum returned home years later after marriage in Ohio to an Indian Chief and a second marriage. When questioned about the younger Kingsley boy, she said he died about the time she was approaching womanhood. >From Gen. Sullivan's Papers of 1779-1795 Vol 3 - extract letter from Gen. Philip Schuyler to Gen Sullivan 29 July 1779......Certain Nathan Kingsley who was made prisoner in Oct 1777 near Wyoming and returned from captivity in Canada, he appears a sensible and intelligent man and has given me a good account of Niagara and Buck Island as they were last year. He has resided all winter at LaShene and all spring to the third of last month near the Cedars on the banks of the St. Lawrence since winter to the 30th. NATHAN KINGSLEY later became a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. After war became Justice of Peace in Luzerne Co. PA. He later died in Ohio. He was Mayflower connected by both his parents. On his father's side the families of Sabin and Billington. On his Mother's side the families of Snow and Hopkins. [note: neither Snow nor Sabin were on the Mayflower; check out the passenger list @ C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\genealogy\Pilgrims\genealogy- Mayflower passenger list1.htm or 'genealogy- Mayflower passenger list.htm'- jcw 13.08.00] More About NATHAN KINGSLEY: Census: 1800, Luzerne County, PA - Nathan Kingsley - 1 male > 45 yrs old, and 1 female > 45 yrs old.54 ________________________
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1743 - Abt 1822 (78 years)
